TERRY MOSHER
I know I’m in dangerous waters here, but I really believe the San Francisco 49ers are going to beat the Seattle Seahawks Sunday in Santa Clara. So boo me, already.
It’s more than a gut feeling, although there is plenty of that here, too, that convinces me of this dire prediction.
When the Seahawks beat the 49ers at Safeco Field 43-16 on December 12, I thought all through the game that the 49ers out played the Hawks, other than the critical turnovers that turned the tide to the Hawks.
Consider the stealing of the football by Bobby Wagner when the 49ers were on the Hawks five-yard line. What happened on the play was that rookie running back Jeff Wilson Jr. seemed like he was down on his back when Wagner ripped the ball from his arms and ran to the 14 with it before being stopped. That prevented the 49ers from getting their first score with the Hawks up 13-0.
That’s a possible seven points the 49ers did not get.
Just minutes after that the 49ers muffed a punt and the Hawks drove that mistake into the end zone for a 20-0 lead.
Then later in the game, 49ers’ quarterback Nick Mullens had the 49ers driving in for a score when one of his passes was picked off by Wagner and returned a remarkable 98 yards for a Seattle score.
So if you are keeping score here, the 49ers lost two touchdowns on turnovers and gave up a score on another turnover. If the turnovers didn’t happen, it’s probable that the score is at least 36-30 and no telling what would have happened if the game would have been that tight.
In between the 49ers turnovers, Seattle was outplayed. Mullens, a former practice squad QB, shredded the Seahawks’ defense for 414 yards, completing 30 of 48 with two touchdowns and one interception. And Wilson, a second unit running back pressed into full service when starter Matt Breida was injured, rushed for 134 yards on 23 carries.
What Mullens did against the Hawks is no fluke. He threw for 332 yards and two TDs last week in a 20-14 upset of Denver.
So, in my opinion, the Hawks are in trouble Sunday. It could be that they may be looking ahead to next week when they host the high-scoring Kansas City Chiefs. Even if they are not, it’s going to be tough for them tomorrow. A win clinches a playoff spot, so that may be working for them, but from what I saw Dec. 12 I would say it’s going to be a lot more difficult for them than just about everybody else predicts.
I am not convinced that that the Seahawks’ secondary is as good as some say it is. They are young there and mistakes do show up, as they did against the 49ers when former Husky Dante Pettis was brilliant in scoring two touchdowns on receptions of 17 and 75 yards.
Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers’ coach, is the x-factor here. He has shown innovated ways of getting his receivers open. If that happens Sunday, the Seahawks may be in bigger trouble than even I believe.
Okay, enough of this. I’m going to take a deep breath and hope I’m wrong and the Seahawks win and clinch a playoff berth. If it happens, I’ll be happy. But if it doesn’t, it’s because I told you so.
Be well pal.
Be careful out there.
Have a great day.
You are loved.